Command task 16: Toxic waste

Equipment: Two to four long pieces of rope (depending on number of participants), small barrel, an open topped box or bucket and cones or tape to mark off no-go area

Time: 20 minutes

Where: Indoors or outdoors

Aim: To place the contaminated equipment in a safe container

Benefits: Planning, communication, team-working and observation

Instructions: Set the scene that the cadets are to be a team of disposal experts and their task is to remove contaminated waste (the barrel) from a toxic, no-go area and place it in a safe container (box or bucket) for disposal. Cadets cannot enter the no-go area or allow any body parts to cross into it. 

Make it easier: Increase the time allowed to complete the task and delegate roles for participants

Make it harder: Make the task leaderless or extend the no-go area